The Accidental Camping Trip
by Alex Took
Summary: What begins as a normal homicide investigation, leads Agents Lisbon, Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt and their consultant Patrick Jane deep into the woods of the Sierra Mountains. For what was part of a murder investigation quickly becomes a much bigger adventure.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Though it has little to do with the plot, this story takes place more around the first season. Only because of the status of certain people's relationships.

The gravel crackled like breaking bones below the slowing black van. The sun burned through the dusty windshield that was painted with a wide arch of clearing glass as the wipers gently fell back and fourth. Agent Lisbon sighed as she pressed on the break, squinting through the dusty summer rays.

"I can't see where to stop." Jane leaned forward in his seat to a view in-between a clump of dust to view the parking.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop." He mumbled. As Lisbon set the parking break Jane hopped out onto the crime scene. It was a dusty long abandoned road, the freeway sitting at least a mile away. Tall green mountains were watching them from afar, sprinkled with oaks and cedars whose scents were dancing around the crowd of police and CBI members. As the hot July sun itched at him, Jane pulled off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves that ran out from his dark blue vest. Several people stepped aside when they saw the pair coming, lifting1 the caution tape. Jane smiled at them as he went through after Lisbon who was already surveying the scene.

"Agent Lisbon." A tall stubbley and rosy cheeked cop nodded to her. She returned the gesture then glanced to Jane as he began scanning the body. He slowly kneeled beside the corpse of a child and Lisbon retuned her gaze to the cop.

"So what happened?" The officer cleared his throat. Kneeled

"Just by looking we believe he was choked."

"Not so fast..." The two looked to Jane whose eyes were following a ring of bruises around the neck. "You're wrong, well mostly." The cop's brow sank and he flicked his gaze to Lisbon who watched him carefully. "The bruises around this area, and here," he shifted his weight and gestured to a large purple circle on the opposite side of the boy's neck, "show he was in fact choked, but…" He tilted his head, his eyes falling to a small darkened damp patch below his chin on his t-shirt. He leaned in closer and began to rise when he spotted a small river of water draining from his cracked mouth, painting the pealing and dusty lips like freshly cried tears. "He was drowned, and then maybe choked for good measure." His eyes met the cop and Lisbon's, both looking unsure. Jane noticed their expressions and gestured to the body. "What go ahead and look for yourself." Lisbon stepped foreword and kneeled for a moment long enough to spot the water falling from his mouth that was traveling up from his lungs. She nodded quickly.

"He's right." Jane shrugged.

"Anything else?" The cop asked as Jane had already returned his eyes to the victim. But he made no response as he went silent, his eyes swiftly finding and catching clues. He kneeled again, and gently tugged at the boy's pocket, pulling out several Bazooka Jo wrappers. He smelled the gum wrappers before putting them back, then shuffled to the end of the body. Jane's blue eyes began to follow every muddy crease in the boy's water shoes. When the cop began to speak, Lisbon shushed him. Jane then scanned the dirt road, marking every tire mark and footprint in his excited mind. He looked about one more time before returning his gaze to them, and to his surprise the crowd whom were all unnervingly watching him.

"The victim was camping in Nevada City; by the looks of the shoes he wasn't there long. He was most likely drowned at a location near his campsite considering his size." He gestured to the protruding belly.

"And you know this how?" The cop asked with a haunt of disbelief.

"Well, look at him." Jane held out his arms, miming a large belly. The cop stared.

"I'm talking about the camping thing."

"Bazooka Jo wrappers in his pocket, red dirt in his shoes, you know, most likely it was Scotts Flat Lake." Lisbon nodded.

"When Officer Walker here called me this morning he said there were no missing persons reports matching him, you got any idea about that?"

"Of course I do. Considering this all occurred last night, his parents are probably just now realizing his absence."

"It happened at night?" Lisbon asked shifting her weight, looking about the scene.

"Well would you leave the body of someone you just managed to brutally murder in cold blood out in the middle of the street on a bright sunny day?" Lisbon's brow rose. "No I hope you'd be smarter than that."

"Well would someone take the victim 2 hours away, and leave him in the middle of a street even if it was at night."

"Carelessness, and," Jane wiggled his fingers as he gestured to a trail of steps that went in a line for a few steps, then laid back on themselves again. "His gas gage was broken, he went to check the gas tank, when he saw it was empty he panicked, considering the sun was, oh maybe yeay high. So he fled the scene of the crime before morning came, abandoning little Billy, got gas, and then went back to camp." The onlookers watched in suspicious surprise. "Just a guess. But I know I'm right." Lisbon cocked her head.

"Went back to camp? You think he was at the campground?" Jane shrugged loosely, swinging his suit jacket over his shoulder.

"What's less suspicious than a happy camper who wears crocs?" They looked back to the tracks, in each of them sat a small circle with the name **Crocs** in the middle. "I mean in my book, I might suspect someone like that but than again it's all a matter of opinion." The cop eyed him carefully, unsure of all his accusations and comments about the whole case.

"Does everyone just, believe him?" He gave Lisbon a questionable look.

"Generally, except for stingy little men like you." Jane spoke confidently, at which made the cop eye him suspiciously.

"You know for once this all about makes sense, Jane." The cop instantly looked to the agent, shifting his weight, resting his hands on his hips.

"Alright," he cleared his throat, "I well I think I do believe you." A smirk grew on Jane's face.

"No you don't."

"Excuse me?" The man stared at him incredulously.

"Your sudden change of tone and trust of my words has little to do with me. You have a crush on Lisbon." Lisbon gave the two an absurd look as the officer turned even redder.

"I do not." He said sharply.

"Ah, now you're denying it. Keep this up and you'll prove you're in love with her."

"Excuse me-" Lisbon cut the nervous cop off.

"Jane!" She barked. Jane held up his hands innocently.

"What, I'm only giving him space to open up and show his true feelings. You saw him at the last case, uh that double homicide-"

"Triple actually."

"Ah, well-"

"Cut the crap, Jane," he shrugged when Lisbon snapped at him, the cop was now looking away from them, trying to hide his face.

"We'll let you know if we find anything." The officer gave them both a quick look before hurrying away. Lisbon instantly set her eyes on Jane.

"Real mature." Jane tried to hide his smirk as the pair stepped away from the body, looking to the forensics who stood a few feet away.

"We're done here." Jane gestured to the body as they left the circle of caution tape, and headed back to their van, when suddenly a twin van pulled up and Rigsby, Cho, and Van Pelt hurried out. Lisbon stared.

"You've got to be kidding me." She snapped as the group dashed towards them, Rigsby's mouth full of food. Jane waved to them but Lisbon's face remained tight at their tardiness.

"Sorry," Rigsby began through a mouthful of burger. "I-" Van Pelt cut him off.

"I'm sorry, Lisbon. Rigsby thought we were supposed to be here at 9:30, not 8:30."

"Ah huh. Well I'm not catching you up on everything you just missed." She continued her march but stopped turning to face them, "If we didn't need you people," she snapped, "I'd suspend you from this case." She stomped on her way, Jane giving them a half sympathetic half amused look. When she got into the car, slamming the door Jane paused and turned back to them, swinging his arms with his thumbs up towards their van in a "hurry up" sort of way before walking backwards towards the van saying,

"Oh this is going to be fun." When Lisbon stuck her head out the window.

"I heard that." Jane smirked at what he could see of her sour face through the dusty glass and righted his direction.

"I know." He said smugly, opening the car door.

"Wait," Rigsby called out. "Where are we going?" Jane smiled to them while he stood half out the open door.

"Camping."

"oh boy." Cho said flatly. Jane smirked, waving at them as he climbed into the car. He shut the door then raised his brow at the frowning Lisbon whose eyes he felt upon him. "What?"

"Shut up." His smug expression didn't falter as he diverted his gaze out the window. Grace happened to be passing by, heading to her van, and the two shared a quick amused expression before Lisbon hastily hit the gas, jerking the pair away from each other, and bombing down the filthy lonely road.

It was about 5 minutes until Agent Lisbon's irritated voice broke the silence. "So where the hell is this place?" Jane raised a brow and slowly looked to her. He continued staring until she looked away from the road to meet his inquisitive gaze. "What?"

"I thought you'd last longer."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your silent treatment." Lisbon looked baffled.

"What silent treatment?"

"Oh don't be silly. Though I don't blame you, it may be accidental or a sub conscious silent treatment, but a silent treatment nonetheless."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, and it is only because you're embarrassed by what I said about Officer Walker."

"Seriously, Jane. Bringing that up again?"

"Yes I'm very serious."

"Of course you are." Jane sat quiet and amused, he often took pleasure in upsetting Lisbon, especially when he knew why she was upset when even she didn't. He smiled to himself then flicked his gaze to an approaching exit, where a small gas station rested.

"Turn here." Lisbon's brow sank.

"What? The map says-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah that's hogwash. I say turn here." Lisbon sighed and without a look behind her swerved into the other lane. Jane was tossed to the side nearly hitting his head on the window. He slowly looked to her as they headed up the ramp.

"You didn't even turn on your blinker! And you say I'm the bad driver. You nearly killed me!"

"That'd make life a lot easier wouldn't it?" Jane leaned back in his seat.

"Well partly, but then red john would live, so easier yes, better no, not yet." Lisbon slowly looked to him as the red street light flicked on.

"It was a joke."

"Death isn't funny. Only when clowns die. No pun intended, though." As the busy street roared ahead of them, leaving them at the stoplight for nearly a minute, his mind sank back to when he traveled with his father. The pair of them scamming dying children and widowed women for money that many times, the clowns of the circus would steal from his suitcases. The image was shook from his mind as the stoplight flashed green. They began to drive straight until Jane bolted up right, his mind catching up with him. "Oh no, no, turn turn! The gas station straight ahead!" Lisbon scowled as she swerved the car in the right direction, nearly hitting someone for the second time. She scowled at him as she sped them into the gas station.

"For now on, I'm blaming all my crappy driving on you." The two left the car and walked to the small store steps from the pumps. "What are we doing here?" Lisbon asked as they neared the door.

"The killer needed more gas and this appears to be the closest gas station." He held open the door for her and the two walked into the air-conditioned shop, a small bell greeted them and colorful chip bags, candy bars lined the walls and icee machines rested on the counters beside shelves of cigarettes. A round man with overly tanned skin and a threatening beard looked to them as the bell on the door jingled. "Hello there." Jane said as the two walked up to the counter. The man nodded in response and rested his hands on the counter.

"How can I help you?" His calm voice was tinted with a fading accent.

"I hope so. Who works the graveyard shift around here?" The man pointed to himself with his chubby finger.

"I do. Why do you want to know?" Jane opened his mouth to speak but Lisbon stepped in front of him and flashed her badge.

"Were with the CBI, I'm agent Lisbon and this is our Consultant Patrick Jane. He believes that our killer passed through here last night."

"He wore Crocs, drove some sort of light weight truck, and was a rather heavy man." The cashier looked to Jane and sighed.

"Look this is why they call it the graveyard shift, I am so tired I'm nearly dead, and not anybody comes in here."

"You don't remember anyone coming in last night?" The man shrugged to her.

"Well a couple, 2 max, I can show you the tapes if you like." Lisbon nodded.

"That would be great." The man led them to the back of the store where several black and white TVs sat in front of a small wilted looking wheelie chair. He quickly got the tape from the previous night and put it into one of the VCRs.

"Rewind it to oh, about 5 o'clock." The man nodded. The flashing tape consisted of the cashier wandering the store for several hours, until one man walked in the door at 5:12 A.M.

"Stop it there." Jane and Lisbon leaned in closer, watching the customer. As he stepped into view they studied the round bellied man. Jane was getting excited.

"Oh now I remember him. He bought some candy and a beer. And I told him no no beer this early and he said he did not care and looked very mad so I gave it up and he-" the man trailed off as the pair watched the man intently.

"Wait for it…" The moment the man stepped towards the door Jane paused it. "Bingo! Crocs. He's our man." Lisbon looked to him.

"We can't base an accusation on a pair of commonly worn shoes." Jane ignored her and flicked his gaze to the cashier.

"Can you remember what he drove?"

"Now that I see this man I remember this man. He had those crocy thingys, pants, and drove a small white pick up. I liked it so I remember it." Jane straightened and nodded.

"You've been a great help. Oh, did he use cash or credit?"

"Cash." Lisbon answered as she watched the man in the video hand over several dollars.

"Oh well."

"Did he say anything else to you? About where he was going or coming from?"

"No. He hardly speak at all, purchased my things, and left." Lisbon nodded.

"Thank you for your help, if you remember anything at all or see this man again, call us." The man nodded as she stepped away from the counter heading for the door, but Jane disappeared down the isle for a moment, grabbing a blow pop from a small box and flicking the man a quarter. Lisbon looked back at the sound of the coin hitting the counter. "Thank you." Jane said over his shoulder as he hastily unwrapped his treat. "You didn't get one for me?" Jane looked to her over his lollypop and shook his head silently. "Your lips will be green after eating that anyway." Jane shrugged as the two returned to the van and returned to the rushing freeway.

"So what are you planning on doing once we get there? Harass every camper you see?"

"I don't need to harass anyone. I have a feeling."

"A feeling?"

"Yes, you know, when you have emotions, sometimes they tell you things about how you feel, hence the word "feeling" not that you would know anything about emotions, except for being an angry dumpling. You know a lot about that." Lisbon was silent before slowly looking to him, glaring through her highly tinted sunglasses.

"What have I ever done to you?"

"Oh really? Well get comfortable because the list is quite long. You know," he tilted his head to face her, "you look like an ostrich with those sunglasses on, an angry little pink face with two black eyes. Doesn't really suit you." Lisbon stared ahead; Jane could see her lips tightening, and her face melting into a horrible sour expression. He enjoyed this face because that meant he pushed her buttons good, but the aftermath of the torture was almost always not worth it, but he still couldn't help his smile.

"You be silent the rest of the ride," she growled, "and I might reconsider unlocking the car doors and throwing you out onto the road."

"Oh," Jane sucked loudly on the lollypop, "Then you can investigate your own murder," he sat silent for a moment before saying through a mouth full of lollypop, "I don't like this idea."

"Then eat your candy, and shut up." She stepped on the gas, jerking him about for the second time, causing Lisbon's phone to fly off the dashboard and onto his lap, which went unnoticed by the agent.

"Hey, where are Rigsby and all them?" Lisbon sighed loudly and unlocked the doors, jerking her enraged face in his direction. He held up his hands peacefully, before settling into his seat and pressing buttons on the phone. As the small numbers beeped she looked back.

"Jane, what the hell are you doing?"

"Just looking at all your pictures, oh hm that's a strange one," Lisbon shot him a look, trying to keep from crashing, again. "…and your texts…oh my god, well I wish I didn't see that one. Oh, and who is Walkybaby91, Officer Walker?"

"This is why they put toddlers in the back seats, damn't!" With that Lisbon flung her arm over to him, but Jane dodged it, slumping out from her reach, and continued to browse through her contacts.

"Actually that's a safety precaution." He licked his lolly before slurping it loudly.

"Jane." She threatened.

"Oh calm down, I was only fibbing, I was really jumping through your contacts, if you were a mentalist you would know that." He pressed a button before putting the phone to his ear. "I didn't see any of you and Walker's love letters, so relax. You know," he looked to her, "I didn't know the love went both ways." As the dial tone echoed, Lisbon tightened her grip on the steering wheel in frustration.

"Who are you calling?" She barked. Jane leaned back in his seat, and began to bite the green candy. "Jane!"

"Hello Rigsby. Lisbon is threatening to murder me, how's your car ride?"

1


	2. Chapter 2

"There's another McDonalds! And another! Can't we at least stop at one of them?" Agent Rigsby pointed over the steering wheel at the passing red and yellow buildings, where from the large play structures, came the screams of children.

"can't you hear that. that's the sound of Donald McRonald turning on all of those children." Cho answered flatly, at which Rigsby raised his brow as he switched lanes.

"It's Ronald McDonald, anyway. But come on, just one burger, it can be drive through!"

"do you know how much crap they put in that food. i don't even understand how it can pass as food. or pass through your stomach."

"Come on, we need lunch."

"no we don't. i don't need Lisbon on my tail all day. she's already mad because of you anyway." Grace looked up from her mp3 player.

"I'm sure the campground has some sort of food source, Rigsby. Other people do need to eat besides you." His eyes instantly flicked back to her at the sound of her voice.

"Well, maybe but all that's gonna be is year old candy bars, and pre melted ice creams…stale donuts, imposter orange juices…" Grace pulled out her headphones and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small wrapped rectangle and tossed it up to him.

"There's your lunch." He looked down to it and smirked at her in the mirror. "Oh thanks, Grace, how thoughtful of you."

"how can you be hungry anyway. you ate a double lard stacker of fat this morning."

"Actually it's called a Double Stacker Quarter Pounder, loaded with cheese..." Rigsby sighed. "What do all you people have against my hunger? It's not my fault all I crave is," they passed a Burger King. "That." He said longingly. Grace sighed, crossing her arms and looking out the window.

"You know I liked you better when all you ate was cookies and soda, what's this new obsession with fast food?" She paused, knowing how his brain worked. "It's disgusting." At that, the word disgusting coming from Grace's mouth, he let out a silent sigh. Grace watched his face in the mirror, and knew with that she had party if not fully, won him over from eating so badly everyday. He stared ahead, and watched a Taco Bell fly by with the eyes of a heartbroken child.

"so where is this place. i hope you have a map. because if you dont and were late im blaming it all on you. again." Grace leaned foreword from the back seat.

"We keep on going allthe way through Auburn, until Nevada City and its right past Grass Valley." Rigsby nodded to her, before his brow sank.

"Hey, where's Lisbon and Jane?" His blue eyes danced about the freeway, their van was no where in sight.

"they disappeared 2 miles ago." Rigsby looked to Cho.

"Seriously? And you didn't say anything?"

"no one asked me." He sighed looked about the passing cars.

"Well let's hope they took a shortcut or something…"

"If they didn't tell us they were turning off, it must not be important." Grace said through a sigh as she leaned back into her seat. Rigsby raised his brow.

"Yeah right, I bet she wouldn't tell us on purpose, just so she could use it against us later." He let out a long sigh. "My bagel gets burned this morning, I washed my white underwear with my red t-shirt, my vacuum broke when trying to suck up my spilled cereal, my shower head snapped because I'm too tall, my boss is mad at me…" He mumbled and Cho slowly looked to him.

"what a sad life you have. im going to write a book on your sorrows. youll get famous as the whining broken toaster man."

"Vacuum." He corrected.

"whatever. i think i like you better when you're eating. you don't complain as much." Rigsby let out a short irritated exhale.

"Well since I'm such a burden to everyone just let me eat something and I'll shut up." His eyes stared straight ahead, when his phone began to buzz. The three of them looked to the vibrating cell phone that slid across the dashboard.

"Crap," he reached for it and stared before letting out a yelp. "I can't answer. It's against the law." He threw the phone over to Cho, who once he saw the name on the screen he panicked.

"there's a new law about using phones in the front seat. i cant either." He hastily tossed it back to Grace.

"Really?" Rigsby asked.

"no." Grace sighed at the two and picked the buzzing phone off the floor.

"What is the issue here?" She turned the phone over, and stared. The sounds of the rushing cars were echoing around them, but inside the car, it was silent, as the name **Agent Lisbon** **Calling** flashed on the small screen. Grace took a deep breath realizing what all the fuss was about, clenched her jaw, and slowly pressed, **Answer**.

"Hello Rigsby. Lisbon is threatening to murder me, how's your car ride?" Grace's expression softened, and her tenseness faded.

"Don't scare us like that, Jane." The other end was quiet for a moment, before Jane spoke.

"Grace? Oh wow. Over the sounds of Lisbon complaining I could hardly tell your guys' voices apart. So really how are things?" Rigsby and Cho were watching her carefully, and as she smiled Cho relaxed, but Rigsby looked unsure.

"Who is she talking to?" Rigsby muttered. "She's smiling, Cho ask."

"rigsby is a jealous stalker and wants to know who youre talking to." But to Rigsby's relief Cho went unheard by Grace, as she asked Jane where they had disappeared to. As he told her the story of the gas station, and who their suspect was, and a much more dramatic story where Lisbon not only threatened to throw him onto the freeway, but actually opened the door pushed him, and his skull was inches from the burning pavement before she "remembered I was a god in the crime solving world" and pulled him back up.

"Oh my, what a day."

"Eh, it happens."

"So where are you guys now?" It was silent again, but soon the sound of rushing air echoed on the other line and as Grace happened to look out the window, Jane drove up beside them. He waved madly and Cho simply stared, but Grace waved back, and could hear on the phone, and muffled through her shut window a, "Hello Kimball! Hello Grace! Hello-" but on both ends his voice faded as Lisbon rolled up the window, refusing to look in the other van's direction. "Jane?" It was quiet as Jane sucked on his lolly before answering.

"She's cranky." Grace couldn't help but smile as she heard on his side.

"Jane, get off the damn phone!"

"Why did I call again? Oh yes to wonder where you were. Well I know now, goodbye." Grace leaned over and sat the phone on the dashboard as Jane hung up on her. She sighed, and looked at Lisbon and Jane's black van a few cars ahead, which seemed to be swerving all over the lane.

"Until this murder is solved, no one speak to Lisbon unless spoken to." The men nodded.

"good idea." Cho answered flatly.


	3. Chapter 3

In the other van, things were slowly calming down. Jane knew the longer he kept up his teasing, taunting and tall tales, the longer Lisbon would be mad. So the two quieted, and the tension between them faded with the passing miles. The freeway they had been on for the past hour gradually blended in with a highway that weaved through the beautiful town of Nevada City. This was a city that was haunted by the days of gunslingers and carriages, giving it the same appearance it held years and years ago.

In both the vans it was more peaceful. Rigsby's hunger had begun to fade, and even Lisbon's sour expression began to vanish, though her anger still was nestled in her chest nearby. The silence lasted longer than at the start of the trip, for nearly an hour until they reached Scotts Flat Road, which winded them through towering sweet green mountains, and cedars whose roots were blanketed in the same red dirt that was in the shoe of the dead child. The road went on for several miles, until it came to an end where a small check in building sat, and campers drifted in and out. Rigsby was hovering behind them as they pulled up to the building and explained the situation. The vans were let in without charge, and a family who was passing by, pushing a stroller and heading towards the small campground store, stared at the vans. Jane waved at them but they continued to stare, unsettled by a small group of murder investigators entering their safe vacation world.

"So where should we go?" Lisbon asked as they rolled down the road, their van cruising beneath the bows of pine and oak, passing by many lifeless campsites. He lazily pointed foreword as he continued scanning each site, drinking in every face, car, and feeling he got from the campers.

"Keep going." Lisbon sighed as they passed many staring faces of campers heading down to the lake that was the vans neared. As they gently coasted down a small but steep hill, the lake peaked into view. The water glowed with the kiss of the sun, and was decorated by kayakers and motor boats with happily screaming children in tow.

"229…230…" As the campsite of 232 crawled up to them, it immediately caught Jane's attention. He waved at the agent to stop, his eyes skipping through it like a dog sniffing out its new home, as he gathered information through a sense that was stronger than everyone else's. 232 was a lake front site, large and underused for only one tent sat in it, and two lonesome looking coolers. But there was not one person in it, only jays and blackbirds hopped about chattering at one another. As Lisbon began to drive again, Jane shook his head, looking behind him at the neighboring site that was empty. "I want to look around." Lisbon then stuck her hand out the window, signaling at Rigsby to back up, and the two vans parked into the bare site beside 232.

The vans were emptied quickly as their legs burned from being trapped in cars that were filled with different types of insanity. Cho, Rigsby, and Grace feared to meet Lisbon's gaze, trailing softly behind the agent and consultant as they passed through the site, looking about. But Jane's interest was not in their site, for his eyes were still on the one adjacent to them. But when the group continued on his tale, he quickened his step to get away from his coworkers in order to let his mind and eye absorb every detail from everything and everyone. Already he had read the faces of several campers, and knew one was a cheater by the way she looked at him, and the way her husband appeared as she did so made it clear that he knew but was too afraid to speak up. Once Jane was a few steps passed, the man looked back at him when Jane purposefully coughed loudly, and he silently mimed to the husband "tell her." The man stared in shock for a moment before turning to his wife. The couple happened to be passing through the site where Rigsby and the rest stood, using it as a short cut to the beach, when he heard an "I know you're cheating on me," and a muffled "Damn" from the woman as she diverted her gaze to the ground.

"He's gonna get someone killed one of these days…" Rigsby mumbled to Cho, Lisbon quickly said over her shoulder.

"He already has." Rigsby went stiff as she spoke, and then nodded.

"Yes. Oh yes. You are correct Agent Lisbon, like always. I do in fact recall that." She then looked back again, giving him an unsure glance before returning her gaze to the lake and lightly populated beach ahead.

"can you be any more obvious." Cho muttered as he pushed past him. Rigsby sighed and Grace gave him an amused look. While Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt continued checking out the site their vans were in, Lisbon hurried up to Jane.

"So what's the plan? We wander around, hoping the guy will show up?"

"Eh, it can't hurt."

"I'm going to the bathroom, keep your eye out." Jane nodded to her as she diverted her path and headed up to the restrooms that rested atop a well worn hill. As she drifted away, waiting till she was no longer there to scold him, he began to examine every footprint, cup, and brand of items that sat quietly in the abandoned site. It didn't take long till his mind began to dance, making him smile to himself as he looked about and circled the parking spot of the site multiple times. Jane nodded, fiddling with his fingers as all his surroundings laid out a plan before his inquisitive eyes. He let out a satisfied sigh as he looked about the quietly populated campground, before waving to Agent Rigsby.

"Hey Rigsby," he called out through an impish smirk, "come here."


	4. Chapter 4

After speaking with Rigsby, Jane met Lisbon at the bathroom and the two groups separated. He and Lisbon drove further into the grounds to continue their search for the murderer, passing many families and couples on their vacations, but none held the appearance of their suspect. "We've passed this site three times already. It's been almost half and hour and there have been not one man, in Crocs, driving a truck." Jane shrugged as he lightly turned the wheel, enjoying his moments of freedom for Lisbon had allowed him to drive.

"Eh, I don't think we're going to find him here. He's probably half way to Vegas or Seattle by now." Lisbon fixed him an irritated stare.

"Really, Jane? I thought you had a feeling? All this time I thought you knew something I didn't." Jane smiled.

"Well I do, I always do. But I'm sure the killer isn't here anymore." He slowed the car and looked to her. "Shall we go back?"

"Oh, after wasting half a tank of gas driving the whole campground? Sure, let's just go back empty handed." Jane pressed on the gas and raised his brow.

"No need to be so grumpy. We may be empty handed but at least we know he's not here." Lisbon sunk into her seat, and put her sunglasses on.

"Just drive." Jane smiled to himself again as they cruised down the road to the site where they had left their vans, slowing as they neared it. He excitedly looked from Lisbon to the campsite that when they left had been empty, but was now decorated with more than an abandoned picnic table and fire pit. However the agent didn't notice till Jane had completely stopped and pulled in to park. Jane waited, and keenly watched her look to the site. Lisbon's lips turned down as her mouth fell open, her brow sinking, looking as if someone had just insulted her.

"What the hell?" Three shining tents were staked out around the edges of the site, Cho sat on the top of the suntanned picnic bench, Grace was tying her hair into a ponytail and Rigsby was no where in sight. "Seriously." Lisbon growled as she flung open the car door, cursing to herself as she walked right into a bush.

"Oh boy." Jane chuckled to himself and hastily abandoned the van.

As soon as Jane and Lisbon rounded into the site, they heard loud banging sounds from inside the other van. They then noticed a large shape shifting behind the tinted windows, and in seconds the car was roaring with music as Rigsby struggled to make a grand entrance out the small door. It was an old sounding song, but still a bouncing lively tune, which seconds Jane began to smile and sing quietly along to.

_Celebrate Good times Come on!_ Jane chuckled as the happy tune became a soundtrack to Rigsby's excitement, and maybe even a booster to it. He jumped out of the van, dressed in a red swim suit, and began to dance, looking awkward with his shorts that were nearly too short for his long body. His height also appeared to be very problematic in the smoothness of his dance moves, his legs seemed to more wobble and warp as he danced then sway with grace. Agent Lisbon stared when Rigsby continued his dancing. For before the two groups had split, Jane had told him that Lisbon would find it very funny if Rigsby were to welcome her to their campsite, that in Rigsby, Cho, and Grace's minds, she had "okayed" them to stay in. Though she did find it funny, she found it more upsetting. Her face fighting in-between laughing and frowning, so she marched towards him with a contorting face under her sunglasses. Jane tried to keep from smiling for he knew what was about to painfully unfold.

"What the hell are you doing?" In the middle of a move, and a "_Celebrate_," Rigsby froze in his step and stared through all the dust he had kicked up. "Do you think this is some sort of vacation, or dance class? Really Rigsby?" His joyful expression had completely vanished, and his eyes darted to Jane, who stood hiding in the shadows behind her.

"Jane, he said that…it would be a good idea to let loose, and have some bonding time and camp out…" Lisbon looked disgusted and instantly whipped her head towards Jane who when her eyes fell on him he directed his gaze to a large oak beside him.

"This is a nice tree, I sure love trees."

"Do you think this is some sort of joke?" She snapped.

"I don't know what he's talking about." He said with a convincingly honest tone. But Lisbon clenched her jaw and stomped towards him.

"What is wrong with you people? Lying, dancing, camping?" Jane looked amused.

"Oh, that all sounds fun to me." Lisbon yanked off her sunglasses.

"I'm sick of this immature crap." Jane raised his brow.

"Someone took their cranky pills this morning didn't they?"

"Watch your mouth Jane." Lisbon held her tongue, knowing the more insults she threw at him the more he would just throw back, and better ones. Rigsby meanwhile had gone back into the van, and sat silently and submissively in the front seat, while his happy theme music continued to play. "We're trying to solve a murder investigation, not have a vacation."

"Why not do both at once?" Lisbon was silent, fighting to see the opportunity to enjoy herself. "Come on, you can't deprive them of camping, especially what you just put Rigsby through."

"You mean what _you_ put Rigsby through. You knew I'd be pissed and you just wanted to watch him drown in his own embarrassment."

"Well when you put it like that, it's not as funny." Lisbon was silent as she tapped her sunglasses against her thigh. "Oh, we both know the killer is miles and miles away, let's just have some fun. It is Friday after all." She let out an irritated exhale and flicked her eyes around the camp.

"Where the hell did you get these tents anyway?" He lightly shrugged.

"It's a Carnie thing. Having a tent with you gets ingrained into your brain after spending the majority of your childhood with the circus." When she failed to retort with more insults and complaints, Jane knew he had partly won her over. He went to give her shoulder a friendly pat, but when he saw the sour expression on her face he stopped halfway, and began to head back into the site.

"I'm going for a walk. You call me you die." Jane tried to hide his amused look as he nodded to her over his shoulder and stepped up to Cho and Grace who had been watching anxiously.

"you tricked us. and we believed you. i cant believe you got away with that. why does she look so angry. is she going to fire us." Jane smirked.

"She always looks like that." Grace looked to Rigsby who appeared undecided if he was brave enough to reenter camp.

"That was just cruel." Grace locked eyes with Jane.

"Oh, we'll all be laughing tonight." Grace raised a brow and when her face remained upset, Jane groaned.

"_Apologiz_e_,_ to him." The man looked baffled.

"Apologize? No. Not unless he apologizes first for setting off the beast when he was late this morning, and making me listen to her grumble and growl the whole way here." Grace sighed and looked back to Rigsby who slowly walked over to them. When Jane saw his face his heart began to become sympathetic rather than amused and annoyed.

"I apologize. Happy Gracie?"

"Gracie?" Jane made a sour face as he contemplated the name.

"Yeah, I'm not too wild about it either..." Rigsby had finally reached them, and though he didn't hear any of what Jane said, he still looked more relaxed as Lisbon's form disappeared down the road.

"Are we all gonna die?" Rigsby asked.

"yes." Cho answered flatly.

"No, she's just cranky. You know how she is, things may be better by oh, Sunday."

"Well now what do we do?" Rigsby asked, the music still playing and now that Lisbon had vanished, and the song was on replay, the excitement in his breast slowly returned.

"We get to..." Jane waited for the main chorus to come back into the cheery tune, before he smiled and said "celebrate good times, come on!" As he spoke he did an almost upsetting, but more amusing Peter Pan skip. The three of them stared before Grace began to laugh, followed by Rigsby, but Cho simply said.

"that was funny." But they all knew he meant it. Jane chuckled to himself, and trotted to the van, turned up the music and took a seat sat in the vehicle as Rigsby and Grace began to chat. They were a couple he thoroughly enjoyed to watch. For since he knew them both so well, each mannerism and speech pattern was even more vibrant in his mind than if they were strangers and he always had them figured out in seconds. That was a main reason he took such pleasure in harassing Rigsby about her, he seemed to know more about them as a couple then he did.

Grace then disappeared into the tent and came out in her swim suit, Rigsby waiting in the shade for her before the two wandered off down the beach. Cho had found a lounge chair and got a book from the car before sitting below the trees to read, their leaves fluttering above him, carrying their sweet scents about the humid air.

Jane began to reflect on the happenings in the day, and observed the scenes of the grounds with an excited mind that knew this camping trip was going to end with a certain type of success that all others doubted. Though what his mental capabilities could not figure out was how he would be punished by Agent Lisbon in the future. He knew more insults would be tossed back and fourth, but he was blind to know what the trip, or traffic of the campground, fully had in mind for retaliations.


	5. Chapter 5

Jane sat at the hard, rotted picnic table, wishing he had his couch to lay on as he watched a kayak in the middle of the lake appear as if it were going to flip. He smirked, but it faded when he head Lisbon's footsteps approaching from behind him. Jane turned to face her. "Hello. Have a nice walk?" Lisbon flopped onto the bench at the table. She said nothing but a long exhale. Jane nodded in response to the silence as the agent pulled out her phone and began to text. After a few seconds, Jane was bored by her and looked over to Cho who sat reading in the shadows of a tall cedar.

"Whatcha reading?" He asked leaning over to see him clearer.

"_dracuala_." Though Agent Lisbon did not hear Cho respond and assumed Jane was talking to her.

"Oh you know just my love letters from Officer Walker." Jane had turned back to Lisbon and replayed what he heard under Cho's words and cocked his head.

"What was that about loving Officer Walker?"

"Get life." Lisbon gave him "whatever" look before becoming engrossed into her phone. Jane sighed, tapping his fingers on the dry wood of the table. The wind began to toss the oak branches above him, giving him intermediate shade from the toasty July sun.

"You know Cho, I have a few books I think you'd like." As Jane continued his conversation with Cho, whose voice was so quiet and monotone it nearly blended in with the wind and the music of the campground. But for Agent Lisbon it did. For a tree blocked where Cho was seated.

She continued toying with her phone, listening to fragments of Jane's words as she attempted to text Officer Walker to tell him what they were doing, but to her dismay there was no phone service this high in the sierras. "Damn't." She grumbled. Jane happened to be laughing at something the invisible Cho had said, and Lisbon flicked her eyes to him. "What?" Jane had already begun to respond to Cho and failed to hear Lisbon's irritated voice.

"Oh ugly, just so horrible and ugly." Jane said and Lisbon let out an annoyed and loud "hey!" He turned to face her.

"You rang?"

"Can you stop talking to yourself? I'm trying to actually do my job here." Jane looked puzzled.

"Talking to myself?"

"Or to the trees, whatever." Jane's brow sank.

"You know it's not very nice to refer to Kimball as a plant." Lisbon stared for a moment, before Jane leaned out of her view and pointed to the tree Cho was sitting behind. Lisbon scooted and looked surprised.

"Whatever. You're annoying me. Go have fun with yourself." Jane stared.

"You know how inappropriate that sounds, Lisbon." She looked up from her phone.

"Stop being immature. They have bikes for rent up at the store." Jane contemplated her words. The idea sounded more appealing than sitting around with no couch to lounge on, but the fact Lisbon had suggested it made him unwilling to check it out.

"Hey Cho," he called as he wandered over to him, unbuttoning the top part of his shirt for the heat was pounding on him. "Do they have bikes for rent at the store?"

"What did I just say?" But Jane ignored her and patted Cho on the shoulder, pausing for a moment to enjoy the shade.

"Thanks, what a good idea. You're a genius, Kimball." Jane avoided Lisbon's gaze as he passed her and began in the direction of the store. Lisbon watched him leave before shaking her head and walking to the van. "I'm going to try and get some service somewhere else, Cho."

"ok." She pushed through the bush that was blocking the van's door, hopped in and headed down the road.

* * *

The dancing water gently lapped against the side of the orange kayak. The joyful screams of children tubing echoed around them, the boats' wakes nearly threatening to tip the small boat. The sun melted down onto the sides of the kayak and caused Rigsby to yelp when his hand brushed against it while paddling.

"Ah." He sighed and looked back to Grace, whose end of the kayak was nearly in the air. When he noticed his brow rose. "Wow! I think I should have gone in the back." Grace raised a brow at him.

"I did suggest that back at the dock."

"Well, we can park at a beach and switch then." The two continued paddling and began to leave the middle of the small lake and make the dangerous journey to the long line of shore, where many private beaches rested in the kind shade of the looming pines and cedars.

"I, want,"

"Food?" Grace answered. Rigsby smiled.

"How did you know."

"I must be a genius I guess." Grace instantly regretted saying the F word, for she knew at any mention of the thing Rigsby's mind turned into a dog's and couldn't stay away from the matter.

"Mmm, cheeseburger and a milkshake…Hey, you know what," he let his paddle rest on his lap. "I never got my lunch! It's been, what, almost 5 hours since I've eaten…" Rigsby licked his lips. "I think I am going to die." Grace was quiet but for a long sigh, at which he turned to face her and continued his paddling.

"What?" Rigsby sensed her irritation and began to panic.

"Is there anything else that interests you besides food?" Rigsby went quiet. "Is that all you want to talk about, ever?" The couple was nearing shore, and as Rigsby's anxious mind was fluttering, Grace was directing them towards a cove where a small sandy beach sat.

"Well no…I could talk about how beautiful you are." Grace stopped paddling and smiled to herself as her heart danced.

"Let's stick with food then." Rigsby looked back to see her smile and shook his head.

"Nope, I like this topic better anyway." Grace looked away from him, blushing as the pair slowly cruised onto the small beach that was nestled in a small shadowed cove beside a quiet road that led to vacation homes along the lake.

Patrick Jane was smiling as he coasted down the shady road. The sun was calmer beneath the arms of the tall pines, and the sounds of the campground softened the further he biked down the freshly paved one way road. The leaves gently were tossed by the easeful summer breeze, and sprinkled the empty path ahead of him. The occasional roar from a boat off the water, and echoing voices from parked boats that were letting kids swim in the middle of the lake were the only sounds, putting his constantly thriving mind into a more relaxed state. There was no Agent Lisbon to threaten or insult him for simple jokes, just Patrick Jane and his bike.

As he rounded a corner and slowly peddled down a straight away, careful not to get his pants caught in the petals, he slowed. A piece of his curling hair was being pulled by a strap on his helmet. He stopped his bike beside a small shady cove and unbuckled the helmet. He winced as the hair was yanked from the strap. As he ran his fingers through his hair, he looked down to a beach below him. Two people sat hands together and laughing with one another. Jane smiled upon the young lovers when the two kissed. He didn't want to seem like a stalker, so he slipped his helmet back on. But just as he began to readjust his seating on the bike, he stared. The profile of the man looked a lot Like Wayne Rigsby. Jane stared for a moment, and then as the couple parted, he let out a surprised gasp. It was Wayne Rigsby, and Grace Van Pelt, kissing.

"Oh god!" He let out and threw his feet on the pedals and attempted to flee the scene for he had already embarrassed Rigsby enough for one day. He pushed the pedals as fast as he could, but he wasn't a bike person, and was unaware that the bike was set on its lowest gear, causing his rapid pedaling to do nothing but spin the pedals in circles, nearly keeping Jane in one place. He frantically looked back to the beach and when they began smooching again Jane let out a series of strange frustrated sounds. He began hitting his bike when it failed to move.

"Come on, come on!" He began pushing and flicking levers until the gears switched, and right as he thought he was okay to go his bike suddenly made a loud clinking sound. The gears were stuck. He let out a yelp and as he tried switching gears in attempt to get them unstuck, he froze. From the road behind him, his ears caught onto the sound of a car coming his direction, and coming fast. "Ah!" He shook his bike wildly as he groaned with an anxious tone. It became ride able again, but by the time he began to pedal he panicked, as the sound of the car grew louder. "Lisbon!" He called, for it usually got him out of trouble. However this time it ended up being an ironic thing to say. For as Jane frantically pedaled, losing his balance, a black van bombed down the road.

Jane looked back, horrified at the monster and before he could pedal one last time, the vehicle collided with his bike, and as he fell, he heard a familiar voice growl, "Move it Bitch!" His eyes looked to the woman's as he fell, and with horror he rolled away from the tires and was tossed down into a rain made crevasse on the side of the road. He panted and stared up at the trees above him. "Oh god, oh god." His hand began to burn as his blood dripped onto the dirt, he groaned and picked dirt and pine needles from his wound. After a few moments, he slowly rose, his head spinning and body aching from the speed of the collision. As he swaggered to his feet, the voice and the face of his hit and run attacker replayed in his frantic mind. "Oh god." Was all he could say, for his near death experience momentarily traumatized him, and it was even more traumatizing as he slowly realized that it was in fact, Agent Lisbon behind the wheel. "Oh god." This time, his words faded as he tried to walk, but his knees gave out on him and he fell onto the warm road, the sounds of the lake slipping away from him. "Oh g-…" Then he saw no more.


	6. Chapter 6

Though actually, he did see more. Patrick Jane just assumed he was dying, and he may have been dying. If not for the spot in his heart that constantly burned for vengeance of his family, he may have faded. But that was not the only thing keeping him from a deep sleep.

"Hello? Hello?" A hardly audible voice lolled into his ears like the sounds of a distant river as his blood rushed through him, muffling the voice. He slowly blinked, and like some dreamlike scene, the kind face of a blurry woman was cupping his face and shaking him. "Please wake up, can you hear me?" His eyes stared, unsure if he was dreaming, awake, or dead. "Hello?" He groaned loudly and slowly began to rise from the ground. "Take it easy." She said. His vision began to return to normal as he looked upon his rescuer whose soft brown eyes were looking him over. "Oh honey, I think you may have been run over by a car." Jane sat fully up, the woman resting her hand on his dirt stained back.

"Lisbon, she…" He trailed off as his head began to pound. The woman shook her head as she picked dirt and sticks from his hair. Jane hardly took notice as he looked down the road where pieces of the shattered bike were scattered about, but that was not what worried him. He could handle a cut, but his jaw tightened as his eyes fell to his torso. "No!" He moaned. His vest had been torn in several places and every button was missing or hanging loosely like a piece of torn flesh. "Not the vest." He looked to the woman with an offended confused look on his dusty face. "I can't believe she would do that. All I did was lie, I fibbed really." He gingerly got to his feet, his mind slowly arranging itself to its regular state.

"Look whatever you did; you don't deserve to be run down." Jane looked to the woman, but fully looked at her. She held a very strong and genuine manner about herself. Her smile was kind and her brown hair shined beneath a cream colored wide brimmed hat. A yellow loose scarf danced around her neck and a pair of sunglasses hung from her hand. He looked beyond her and there sat a small yellow convertible bug which gave off an intense sensation of "cool." Her whole image seemed special, as if she had appeared from some sort of portal dwelling in the 50's. She stared at him, amused as he eyed her. "I think you may have bumped your head a little too hard." She smirked and began aiding him in dusting off his torn and dirtied suit.

"Who are you?" Jane asked, for the more words she said and the longer he looked upon her, the more easily cool she became.

"That's what I need to be asking you. Are you a camper here?" Jane nodded. "You got family?" Jane shook his head.

"They were all killed." The woman wasn't if this was part of his post trauma talking or his real honesty, so she skipped past it.

"Who is Lisbon?" Jane clenched his jaw, letting out a long exhale through his nose.

"My boss, well kind of boss. I'm pretty sure she just ran me over." The woman slipped her sunglasses back on when Jane appeared less haggard and raised a brow.

"Let's hope not. That would make for a pretty awkward Monday."

"Very True." Jane rested his hands on his aching spine and the woman gestured to her bug.

"Well would you like a ride? Back to camp or a hospital?" Jane reached up and felt that his helmet was still on.

"I think I'm good."

"Well than I'll take you back to your camp then." Jane shook his head.

"Nah, you'd have to pay to get in." The woman hopped into the car and patted on the front seat.

"Then I'll take you to Day Use and you can walk from there. Sound good?" Jane looked down the long road ahead of him. It seemed to loom down on him for Lisbon could come bombing back down it at any second. Jane nodded quickly.

"If you wouldn't mind." The woman smiled in return as Jane climbed into the car. "You know, I could probably charge her for attempted murder." He felt the woman's eyes on him as she started the bug.

"Do you work for the law?" Jane looked to her, as he felt that she was reading him better than he could read her. In fact, he felt the strange sensation that he couldn't read her.

"I might." She nodded as they drove down the road, and Jane looked back to the beach where Rigsby and Grace had been earlier, wondering if they had witnessed the scene, but it was empty. "Do you come on this road often, or about the campground?" She nodded beneath the brim of her hat that wiggled in the warm wind.

"Yes."

"You ever seen a guy, wearing crocs, round, middle aged, with a white pick up?" She was quiet before nodding slightly.

"Well lots of people wear crocs. But a few days past I did see this man walking back and fourth on this road, with green shoes, yes green ones. I envied them." Jane nodded with a smirk.

"Okay. Thank you." She glanced to him as they rounded a shady wooded corner, the lake momentarily slipping from view.

"This man is who to you?"

"Could be a murderer we're looking for." She raised both brows.

"Oh, well if I see him again I'll let you know." Jane smiled to her.

The pair was silent as she slowed into the Day Use area of the lake where many families poured out of cars with coolers and inner tubes. As she pulled into a free space to let him off, he locked her gaze before he hopped out.

"You saved my life, strange woman." She smiled to him and shrugged.

"No, you did." Her words seemed to echo into his breast. As if she had known what always kept him striving for life, and that he refused to die, at least this day. Unsettled by the power this woman had over him, he nodded to her.

"Thank you."

"It was nothing." The woman then gave him a smile, and wave before speeding down the road. Jane watched her for several moments, before looking to the Day Use area, and when he looked back again, the road was dead quiet as if she had never been there at all. As he passed through the busy place where locals came to swim and kayak, he pondered the existence of the woman, and if he himself had gotten from the ground and perhaps swaggered all the way here. Whatever the case, it began to slip his mind for the moment and Lisbon began to flood through him. He knew more than likely the hit was accidental, but accident or not he was nearly killed, or so he thought. He remembered the fall more of narrowly dodging the wheels, flying and smacking a tree, before rolling down into a large muddy ditch. When really he did just dodge the burning tires, but the bike took the hit for him, and only tossed him a few feet away, though the speed was what made the landing hurt, for hitting pointy roots as such a velocity was bloody.

After a few minutes of walking he neared their camp, smiling when he saw both the vans resting along the road. He slowly entered the site to find Lisbon sat with her back to him, and Cho still sitting in his shaded spot. Jane walked over the picnic tables and took a seat with his back to her. He knew she was staring at him. She smiled and looked perplexed, thinking the torn clothes and bruises were created by his own accord.

"What the hell happened to you?" Jane said nothing as he stared ahead at the lake. "Jane." She said again and Jane slowly turned to face her, his face sprinkled with abrasions.

"Oh, you know. Some maniac ran me down with a car. No biggie." He locked her gaze but her expression didn't change.

"You're lying."

"No, actually I don't think that I am." He kept their gazes locked, waiting for something in her face to change but nothing did.

"What? Do you want a Band-Aid or something?"

"No I would like an apology." Lisbon looked baffled and adjusted her seat.

"What? Seriously, Jane?" Jane looked upset.

"Yes I am serious. I believe running someone over with a car, deserves at least an apology."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh don't give me that. You saw very plainly that it was me and saw that it was a way to let off some very cruel steam, while making it look accidental."

"I didn't hit you with a car, Jane. I think that would be something I would remember."

"If you are going to take the denial road then I'm going to take, another road, one that could give you a charge for attempted murder." Lisbon sat for a moment, and remembered passing one biker along the road, but it looked nothing like Jane, and she did not remember hitting that person. "Oh, change of heart? Feeling the guilt rise up now? Well I'm glad it is because if it didn't, even for you that would be a little creepy."

"I did not see you on the road Patrick Jane. There was one biker that was a red head! And as far as I know, I did not run them down." Jane pointed to his helmet.

"Red helmet?" She stared, and as the pieces began to fit together she clenched her jaw.

"I didn't run you over."

"No, luckily you narrowly missed me, but did run over a rental bike that you are going to have to pay for." Lisbon bit her lip when she began to believe his story, and with his words her memories became clearer and his tall tale seemed to become smaller and more honest. But she didn't want to fully admit it, for guilt was beginning to fill her chest.

"Look I don't know how much of this tale of yours is actually true, but if somehow I ran you over and somehow, didn't notice, than I'm sorry." Jane stared, not expecting those words.

"I had some dirt in my ears, what was that?" Lisbon fixed him a warning look and he shook his head. "And I thought you were a nice enough person to mean it if you apologized. I guess I was wrong."

"I said I'm sorry!" She barked, and with that Jane smirked and nodded.

"Thank you. But I don't forgive you, and won't forgive you." Lisbon let out an exasperated sigh and threw out her arms.

"What the hell do you want then?"

"You never fully admitted to running me over."

"Maybe because I don't fully believe you."

"No you do. You're just in denial, I can tell." Lisbon rose from the seat and grabbed her plastic water bottle off the table.

"Whatever." But Jane could tell the tone in the "whatever" was tinted with guilt, and he wouldn't get anything else then the hollow and angry "sorry". But that didn't stop him from imagining his revenge on her, even if it be insulting her which was something he was very good at and could keep it up longer than she.

"Hm. Okay. Thanks for nothing." Even from a good distance away, Agent Cho recognized an intake of breath from Lisbon, that would soon release threats and insults, so he rose and walked over.

"do you want to go rent a boat. doesn't it sound fun to be yanked around on a rubber tube." Lisbon looked to him.

"Do what?"

"you know, tubing. i like to drive boats. lets go check it out." Though Lisbon and Jane both knew Cho was simply trying to distract the pair, they unwillingly agreed. For the idea of being tossed around yet again, was not very appealing to Patrick Jane. After a few mutual glares the three of them emptied the site and walked to the vans. But as Lisbon stomped ahead, Jane grabbed Cho's arm to stop him.

"You-"

"yes i believe you." Jane did a quick nod and the three of them piled into the van, Jane sitting as far from Lisbon as possible as they silently drove up the road to the Marina of the lake.


	7. Chapter 7

The three of them pulled into the parking lot that bordered the shore of the boat launch ramp. Beside it was a dock lined with several new motorboats that were available for rental. Jane wandered away from Lisbon and headed to the small store beside the dock. He looked down to his bloody hand and torn vest letting out a moan at his shabby state. He stomped into the store and brightened when he saw Rigsby and Grace, who looked surprised at his haggard appearance.

"Oh my god Jane, what happened?"

"Lisbon ran me over." Grace looked shocked, and by the couple's expressions and words, Jane knew that they had not seen the accident happen, therefore did not know he saw them at their beach.

"Really Jane, or are you lying?" Grace asked, knowing this could be something he would make up to stir waters.

"Yes. Why doesn't anyone believe me?"

"i do." Cho said as he walked in behind him. Jane looked back and pointed lazily to him with his hand.

"Yes. Thank you, Kimball."

"anytime."

While Lisbon was out looking about the marina, the team gossiped about his story, and eventually believed it for he had the bruises cuts, and torn vest to prove it. While Jane finished up the tale, Cho paid for a boat and tube to rent and told Rigsby and Grace their plans at which Rigsby let out a loud, "yes!" Before they left the store, Rigsby grabbed several candy bars and popsicles, but as Rigsby and Grace left them already garbed in their swimsuits, Jane and Cho exchanged a look.

"I don't think suits are very appropriate for swimming."

"my thoughts exactly." Cho answered, and the two went to browse if the store sold any swimsuits. They strolled deeper into the air conditioned small shop, discovering a line of suits hanging on the wall. As Cho grabbed one, Jane sighed.

"You know I'm not sure if I really want to even go. It doesn't sound too appealing to me." Cho flicked his eyes to him.

"you're going. im not sitting in a boat alone with them." Jane agreed it was fair enough, and if his vest had not been so torn he would have been less agreeable to removing it in order to wear swimming clothes. As the two men bought and changed into the last pairs of swimsuits available in their size, Lisbon came stomping into the store. Cho left the dressing room first as she entered, and Lisbon stared, looking unsure at the sight of him wearing only shorts, no tie or dress pants.

"Did you uh," she cleared her throat, "buy that here?"

"yes." Cho said pointing to the rack of suits. Lisbon nodded and as she stepped up to the rack, looking unsure about wearing a swimsuit in front of her colleagues, Jane slowly stepped out from the dressing room. Though his exit, or more of his entrance, was greeted by a song. The speakers decorated about the room, let out a strange sounding song that neither had ever heard before, but suited the scene well. _Start wearing purple for me now, start wearing purple all your sanity and wits they will all vanish ,I promise. _As the foreign almost gypsy sounded music played, Jane and Lisbon simply stared at each other, before slowly looking down to Jane's purple swim suit. Lisbon looked amused but Jane licked his lip tensely holding his torn suit to his chest. Though he had also purchased a t-shirt to go with his new attire, he still felt extremely naked without his vest. He cleared his throat and awkwardly stepped past the bemused Lisbon, handed the cashier a 5, before hurrying out from the building as the wild Ukrainian song continued on its way. As he disappeared, Lisbon smirked to herself.

In a few moments she bought a turquoise one piece suit, and met the team out on the swaying dock, where they were all climbing into a small red boat. Jane was now letting his towel fall over his t-shirted chest and staring silently and straight ahead. The run in with Lisbon in the shop while the shouting voice echoed around them, and most of all taunted his purple suited up vest-less body, had unsettled his ego and created vulnerability inside him. His vest was his everything, and Lisbon took that away. Another reason to scowl upon the agent as she approached the dock.

Though the team tried not to look at Lisbon when she climbed into the boat in her suit, not that she looked bad, or good, they all simply knew doing so would get some sort of retort for her face was still tight and borderline embarrassed for she knew that Jane had already told his tale to all and she knew whose side they were on. Though who everyone did stare at, was Cho.

He had not purchased a shirt for Jane beat him to the last shirt that didn't say "I'm a happy camper!" on it. Each member of the team seemed shocked by how fit and muscled the agent was, always hiding it beneath ironed suits and ties.

"Looking good, Cho." Rigsby said as he leaned back in the boat, watching him drive from behind.

"thank you." He said with a tint uncertainty in his tone. In the bow sat Lisbon, alone, and adjacent to Cho was Jane. His chest still covered with a towel and his face still wore a flat, rather Cho-like expression. Behind him sat Grace and Rigsby, whose spirits seemed rather bright despite the bad happenings of the day.

Cho eased on the gas when they exited the "no wake zone" and to everyone's surprise, as soon as the small buoy wearing a sign vanished, Cho suddenly hit the gas, jolting the CBI members as he began wildly cutting through the wakes of other boats. Cho put a knee on the seat and stood on it as he drove, squinting into the sun, before pressing on the stereo and to even more to everyone's surprise, Michael Buble's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," danced out from the stereo with its happy and lively rhythm. Then, all sat silent at what they were about to and began to witness.

"there goes my baby, she knows how to rock and roll." Cho sang, through a smile. No one knew what to do. Laugh, smile, cry. To see their usual one face, suited up Cho in a swim suit driving a boat was one thing, then to see him smiling and singing nearly made them all bail out of the boat. But the fascination of it held them to their seats.

Jane was staring at him was a half concerned; half amused look in his eyes. "You okay, Cho?" When the agent made no response, but for bobbing his head along with the music Jane just began to chuckle loudly. However at that, Cho's expression faltered and he looked to Jane.

"what." Jane cut his laugh and shrugged.

"Oh its just Lisbon, she looked at me funny." Cho nodded and began dancing in his seat again. Everyone, even Lisbon, noted the type of music that seemed to literally bring Cho to life. Jane smirked and leaned back to Grace whom sat directly behind him.

"This, and alcohol are the only things that bring out that cute little Cho smile." He gestured to the smirk on the man's lips and Grace smiled.

"It's very odd. But I think I like it."

"I do too." Cho's temporary change in manner calmed Jane. As the music went on, he to began tapping his foot and nodding along with the beat, sitting without a vest, and wearing a smile as the wind blew through his curling hair. The man who so rarely smiled that all believed he had a true disorder, was smiling, and with that rare smile made even Lisbon lips begin to curve up, momentarily defeating her stubborn sourness. Though Jane was fully enjoying himself, the feelings he felt against Lisbon still lingered, but were only quieter as his mind plotted silently.

When the song ended, so did Cho's smile as he stopped the boat and looked back over his shoulder at the group. "whos first." Rigsby excitedly jumped up, and invited Grace to ride with him. She looked unsure out at the choppy waters filled with screams, then when her eyes fell to Rigsby's excited expression she sighed before agreeing. The two climbed onto the tube that read "Big Mabel" along the side and resembled a big red couch. Jane switched seats to ski watch, and let the line out, appearing amused by the pair as they drifted away onto the hectic roaring lake. Though Rigsby was grinning, Grace appeared like she was trying to smile, but the fear of tubing with Rigsby chased it away.

"We're clear." Jane said as he plopped the last few inches of line into the water as it tightened above the gurgling motor. With that the boat jerked foreword as Cho hit the gas, and began to speed around the lake like a madman with a chainsaw, the screams boosting the insanity in his hands that turned the wheel. He jerkily swerved and Grace screamed as the two were flown out from the wake, and began slapping and flying against the cresting waves. Jane laughed as they hit a fat bump, and Rigsby's long form went flopping into the sky and when he landed, he launched Grace. His cackle echoed across the water as he caught her and the two managed to stay on the jumping tube.

Cho swerved about and if not for his smiling and singing earlier, this reckless driving would have caught them by surprise, but it seemed that while in a boat, Cho was full of surprises. And so was Jane's mind as he laughed at what his mind had come up with as Rigsby and Grace hit another large bump, making the two scream with joy as Cho whipped them back across the wake. After one or two times around the small lake, hitting many large waves where at one Rigsby was half way off the tube, being sucked into the water. But Grace managed to pull him up, laughing. Even Cho hooted in a cheer at her ability to stay on the tube even over the tsunamis, while pulling a Rigsby from the water.

When they pair singled they wanted to stop, Cho had Jane take over the wheel as he reeled in the pair of tubers. "Wahoo!" Rigsby shouted and Grace grinned at him.

"have fun." Cho asked and Rigsby slapped the water.

"Hell yea!"

Cho smirked and held the tube steady as the pair climbed into the swaying boat. Meanwhile, Jane was studying Lisbon through his sunglasses. She was eying the tube, and Jane knew what was going through her head, so when Cho returned Jane told him he would like to drive at which Cho answered. "don't kill anyone."

Jane smirked. "Oh, I'll do my best. Would you like to tube, Cho?" But Cho's face had morphed flat again and he stared.

"no. i hate tubing." Jane then looked to Lisbon, trying to fight his smile but his curved lips told all.

"Lisbon?" He called. The woman turned to face him as he mimed Cho's seating in the boat on one knee and gestured to the tube. She stared.

"I don't tube."

"Yes you do." Lisbon gave him a suspicious look.

"Not when you're driving with a smile as big as the Joker's."

"Oh come on, I can't help the way I look." Lisbon contemplated and agreed that though he looked suspiciously happy, it was the same expression he would make on occasion while looking at a dead bloody body. She sighed and raised her brow.

"I don't like to tube like that."

"Oh I'll take it easy on you. Besides, that even gave me the willies." Lisbon eyed him for a minute before slowly rising and stepping past him, shooting him a warning look.

"Cho, watch him. He steps out of line, and does anything more than a slow pull, push him out." Cho said nothing as Lisbon took the wet life vest from Grace and buckled it before climbing onto the tube, and carefully settling herself in as Cho gently pushed her off into the ocean of a lake.

"Have a nice ride," Jane said, grinning over his shoulder at her once there was no turning back for Agent Lisbon. The moment the rope tightened, and Cho okayed him to go, Jane let out a laugh as he mimicked Cho's driving and hit the gas hard.

Lisbon's scream disappeared behind them as Jane instantly swerved the boat to the side, making the tube fly and nearly flipping her. At first, Rigsby, Cho, and Grace were amused by Jane's wild driving, but as Lisbon continued screaming orders that were only partly heard, they became concerned when they looked to Jane who simply grinned and laughed at her helpless form from over his shoulder.

"Jane, I think she wants to go a little slower..." Rigsby said but Jane simply laughed as she was flown across the wake, her legs flopping into the air as if they were unattached from her body. "Really Jane…" Jane looked to Rigsby.

"Whose side are you on, Rigsby? The woman," he steered her violently to the right, narrowly dodging another boat creating an even louder scream from Lisbon, "who ruthless ran me down with a car or the innocent victim who was simply taking a bike ride?" Rigsby didn't answer.

As Lisbon continued screaming, Jane groaned when he slowly began feeling guilty for the woman had no control of what was happening. He unwillingly slowed the speed, easing the tension in the boat, though only for several seconds. For as he looked back to see if she was at all happier, he moaned when she violently pointed ahead.

"Oh for Pete's sake."

"Um, Jane!" Grace called as she realized what Lisbon was wildly gesturing to.

"What is it now?" He said as he slowly turned back to face the jumping bow. "Oh no." He didn't know whether to smile or wince at the huge, unavoidable wave that was flying his way. Though as he contemplated how big of a lesson she needed to learn, he missed the time slot where he could have turned just right as to narrowly miss the wave. But it was too late. Inside the boat was silent, but outside, agent Lisbon was screaming, as the tube skipped off the 3 foot wave. All watched in horror, but Jane with partial amusement, as Lisbon was violently thrown from the tube, shouting with a scratchy and infuriated voice.

"Patrick Jane!"


	8. Chapter 8

All had to keep from laughing as Agent Lisbon's sogging form, wet hair plastered to her sour face, slowly swam and climbed into the boat. No one spoke, and Jane kept his eyes on the bouncing bow, trying to hide his smile till he felt cold water dripping down onto his shoulder. With terror he slowly looked up to see Lisbon, staring down at him, her hair a mess and her expression even messier.

"If anyone so much as smiles," she darted her eyes about the boat then back to Jane. "They're fired." Rigsby panicked, and silently handed her towel without making eye contact. She violently dried herself off. "Do you think this is funny? You think this is some sort of a joke?" Jane raised his brow. "I didn't ask to be thrown around and drowned."

"Well I didn't ask to be run over." Lisbon didn't seem to hear him.

"I could have died."

"Hm," he faced her. "I happen to recall a time, a few hours ago, when I narrowly escaped becoming road kill." Lisbon jutted her jaw in frustration and marched to the bow of the boat. "I thought so." He smiled to himself, but she darted her eyes back at him.

"Just because I mistook you for some slow-ass redhead, doesn't give you the right to drown me." Jane started up the boat as Rigsby pulled in the tube, and looked to her as they headed back to the marina.

"Oh, so then you must hate Grace." The two women looked to him.

"What are you talking about?" Grace shared an unsure look with Rigsby as Jane continued.

"Well you just said you mistook me for a redhead, implying that in your own sick little world you are just fine with running down a redhead." He looked in the mirror to Grace. "I'd watch out if I were you."

"That is not what I said. You know what," She threw up her arms. "I'm done with this." She shoved on her sunglasses and silently stared ahead. Jane looked over to Cho, his lips curving up in amusement.

"Did I say something to upset her?"

* * *

The sun had just begun to set as the group un-piled from the boat, it's last rays kissing the shimmering lake whose boaters and kayakers gradually dwindled the further it sank. The ride back to camp was quiet, save for Jane for he hummed to himself as he drove, knowing that was another thing that Lisbon did not like. When they all arrived, changed their clothes and began to speak again, Rigsby and Grace made a run up to the Campground's store to buy whatever was available to serve as their dinner. Back at camp, Cho avoided Lisbon, and Jane did the same by taking a lengthy time to change into the remains of his suit. However, in the midst of changing he sorrowfully looked down at his tattered vest, and sighed, knowing this day would be its last. When he emerged from the tent, he wore his torn suit pants that he rolled up and his button up with his torn vest hanging loosely around him. He walked over to the table and sat next to Cho.

"i never liked camping. annoying people screaming. bears eating your food. bugs. dirt."

"You never camped as a kid did you? Too caught up with sports, and your dad was never willing to go was he?"

"only in motor homes. i hated motorhomes. they remind me of hospitals." Jane nodded.

"Your experience there after you got your appendix taken out wasn't very fun was it?" Cho stared.

"you read my medical records."

"No, your scar sorta says it all." He gestured to Cho's torso where he had noticed the small scar in the boat. Jane sat quiet for a minute. "How is a motorhome like a hospital?" Cho looked away from him as Rigsby and Grace pulled up.

"foods here."

The 5 of them ate what they were able to buy, which consisted of candy bars, ice cream sandwiches, cookies and chips. It was a dream meal to Rigsby, and he ended up eating most of it for everyone else got sick of the sugary overloads after eating 1 or 2 candy bars and a few chips. As the sky darkened, Grace and Cho collected wood for a fire, Rigsby finished off the last bag of Cheetos, Lisbon fiddled with her phone, and Jane carefully eyed the site beside there's, which was empty still. As Grace set up the fire, and the others were distracted, Jane silently wandered off into the neighboring site, unnoticed by his busy colleagues.

"Girl scouts?" Rigsby asked. Grace blew on the fire as it began to hiss and dance.

"You can know how to make a fire without being in Girl Scouts, Wayne." He shrugged.

The music and sight of the fire slowly drew everyone near to it. Soon all but Jane had taken seats around it, the constant music of the burning wood soothing and enrapturing all their senses.

Lisbon sighed and looked about the shadowy campground, where now sounds of neighboring fires and families eating gathering for their dinners crawled out from the darkness. "Where's Jane?" Rigsby looked up form the fire.

"Good question." The group looked about for a moment.

"He better not have gotten himself killed." She flicked her blue gaze about the shadowy trees. "Jane?" Lisbon barked. As she began to rise a shape emerged from the shadows.

"I am the ghost of Christmas future," Jane strolled up behind them, creating a ghostly tone with his voice "…Tiny Tim is going to die." Lisbon stared.

"Tiny what?" She asked as Jane walked up and strolled to a seat a across from the still scowling agent.

"Ah, that pains me here." He dramatically pressed his hand to his heart before falling into his chair. "If you don't know who Tiny Tim is, you don't deserve to know." Lisbon gave him annoyed look before looking back to the flames. Jane watched them for several moments then said, "I'm bored." When no one answered he wiggled his fingers. "Let's play some charades."

"i don't like charades. no one ever knows what i am."

"I will. Go ahead and I'll guess."

"no."

"Yes."

"fine." Cho rose and stepped to the other side of the fire in front of the group. He stood still for a minute, and everyone waited for him to do something, but he didn't. He took a few steps and mocked writing something on a notebook, still deadpan , when Jane jumped from his seat.

"Oh, you're Cho!"

"how did you know." He walked back to his seat and Jane smiled to himself.

"Guess it's my turn now." He rose and cleared his throat, resting his hand on his hip and thinking of what to be. Lisbon stared for a moment before barking out.

"Prostitute." Everyone looked to her, appearing surprised by her sudden outburst.

"I haven't even gone yet." He grumbled and Lisbon leaned back in her seat.

"Oh sorry, I guess that's just the way you look." Jane ignored her before he bent his arms, held them up almost chicken-like, and then raised them to his head, letting his hands flop about by his ears. He began to stomp around, kicking up dust, when Lisbon called out again.

"Prostitute." Jane continued his act, but shot her an annoyed stare. The others tried to ignore Lisbon's strange behavior and began making guesses.

"A dog!"

"Tyrannosaurus Rex?"

"a chicken."

"Prostitute." And with that Jane threw his arms down and stared at her.

"You know I'm sure I'm not the only one who is bothered by these sexist and immature comments. Is there a part of your past you're trying to share with us, Lisbon? Because if so please do tell."

"Sexist?"

"Yes, you are unnecessarily calling me a Prostitute."

"Oh, wait, I'm sorry I guessed wrong, I meant to say a hooker." Jane looked to Grace.

"Grace, do you have anything to say about this?" Grace instantly became nervous for he was tempting her to side against Lisbon.

"I don't agree." Was all she mumbled.

"See, in sweet Grace Language that means 'Yes, Lisbon _is_ a pig.'" Grace tightened and shook her head.

"I would never say that." But Lisbon ignored the redhead.

"Fine if you aren't a prostitute than what are you?"

"I can't tell you that." He continued on his way, trying to mimic that animal he had chosen and after several minutes of silently wandering, stomping, making strange faces and miming sounds, he gave up when Rigsby guessed he was a piece of Broccoli.

"I'm an elephant!" He let out exasperatedly while miming a trunk for the first time.

"Why didn't you just do that from the start?" Rigsby asked.

"It would've given it away." Jane stumbled to his seat and flopped into it, before resting his shoes on the edge of the metal fire pit. "Why don't you go Rigsby?"

"Yeah," Grace urged, smiling. Rigsby gave her a humble crooked Rigsby smile before stepping in front of the fading flames. The night had fully come in by then, the only light being from the dying fire that chased shadows about the audience's half lit faces. Rigsby chuckled to himself before beginning his act. He slowly kneeled half way down, and held arms in front of him, his fists tight together, before shifting on his heels, leaning to one side then the other. Jane always spoiled charades, for he always knew what people were right off the bat, and this was no exception. He knew what he was being, and once it was revealed, he knew there was nothing he could do but laugh.

"Um, a, car?" Grace called out. Rigsby shook his head and continued leaning from one direction to the other, then all knew instantly what he was, when he leaned back, miming a scream, before jumping backwards letting his arms fly into the air.

"Are you serious?" Lisbon growled, and Jane fought his chuckle. "Are you kidding me?" Rigsby's smile vanished and appeared like it had never been there.

"I, I thought…is it not funny yet?" Lisbon stared with a sour face.

"9/11? Really Rigsby?" Everyone looked to Lisbon with unsettled faces.

"What did you just say?" Jane asked, staring at her.

"He's being Bin Laden, crashing into the buildings. You know if it wasn't rude, I might laugh." And no one did laugh as she smirked, unaware of how crude she sounded. Grace stared for a moment before licking her lips and speaking.

"My best friend's father died, on 9/11." Lisbon looked to her and her smile began to fade.

"You do know how horrible you seem right now?" Jane said, sitting up in his seat.

"Does everyone here seriously have an out for me? It was just a guess. It's Rigsby's fault."

"Actually it's not, because he was not pretending to be that horrible massacre, he was pretending to be another one." Lisbon raised her brow at him.

"Oh really?"

"Yes," he spoke quickly. "He's you, flipping in the tube, and nearly 'drowning.'" Lisbon instantly bolted from her seat, stomped silently to her tent, violently unzipped it, before turning to Jane, flipping him off, and disappearing into it. But it was good she did so, for Jane began to laugh silently to himself, followed by the rest of them.

"You know, even for our tiffs this is getting a little out of hand." Jane said through a large smile, staring at the fading flames. He sat quiet for a minute before letting out a sigh. "Oh," he moaned and languidly strolled over to the side of her tent. "Come on Lisbon, it was only a joke."

"Don't you need your rest? You're probably working a full day tomorrow, prostitute." Jane couldn't help by smile, and be bit unsettled before heading back to the fire.

"That's not really what I had in mind for tomorrow." Rigsby was wearing a half smile, and glanced from her tent back to Jane.

"Is that some sort of inside joke between you guys?"

"No…but I think she thinks it is." Jane raised his brow and leaned back into his seat.

"I didn't mean to you know, make things worse with you guys. I thought it would be funny." Cho stood up.

"it was funny. im going to bed." The three of them watched him as he went up to an empty tent looked back at them and said, "this is my tent, goodnight." And tightly zipped it up.

Jane smirked at his odd friend and looked back to Rigsby who appeared exhausted, his eyes already weighing down from the stress of the day.

"Eh, she deserved it." Jane said as he looked up at the black sky, that was dotted with shining white stars who's glow was so much stronger than in Sacramento. Rigsby yawned loudly and looked from Jane to Grace.

"I think I'm going to hit the sack too. But I guess," he looked from Cho's tent to the tent that was left. "The rest of us have to sleep in there?" He raised his brow and looked to them both.

"Nah, you can have it. I don't sleep."

"Jane," Grace butted in as she rose from her seat.

"No really, I don't."

"If you're sure." Jane flicked his hand in a "go" sort of manner and nodded. Grace caught up to Rigsby who had began to head to the tent. She raised a brow at him and whispered.

"Well, I guess I'm sleeping with Lisbon…" Rigsby cleared his throat, and shifted his weight. Jane watched him from over the back of his chair as the firelight skipped across his smirk, knowing what was going through the agent's head.

"There is, room in my tent, if you want to…" Grace tensed nervously. When the awkward silence pierced Jane's skull he groaned and spoke up.

"Oh, just go Grace. All he wants to do is sleep anyway, look at him. He's about to pass out. And besides," he pointed to Lisbon's tent. "She might bite you, or worse"

"I heard that." Came a gravely voice form the tent. They all looked frightened then waved goodnight to Jane. The couple disappeared into the tent, leaving Jane beside the vanishing fire, and alone. But being alone was what he wanted. For all day long he had been waiting for this time, waiting for all to bed and fade away from this world. Because he was not the only one who waited, who had yearned for this time to come. And now Jane knew, as campground slowly drifted into dreams and the crickets began to sing with the hums of the bullfrogs and the gentle lapping of the lake, all he had to was wait. Just a little bit longer.


	9. Chapter 9

Jane rose once the fire dissolved to sparkling coals, and stepped quietly across the abandoned road that was dappled by moonlight. There was an empty site across from their neighboring one, and Jane silently took a seat at the cold picnic table. He sighed, and looked about the road, knowing at any minute he would arrive. When Jane's mind began to wander, every falling leaf making him tense as his imagination turned tree trunks into bears, a pair of headlights appeared in the distance. But as Jane looked closer, they appeared to vanish, but the car didn't. There was a soft hum of a small vehicle coming his way. When Jane was certain it was who he was expecting he hopped from his seat and hurried into the site of 232 across from him, taking a seat at the lone picnic table. He was in complete darkness; the canopy above was thicker than other places, leaving his silhouette to blend in with the shadows.

The car slowed and gently rolled to a stop. Jane's eyes had become one with the night, and he could see the outline of a man as he quietly left his car, and stepped into the site. But as he neared, but still was a good distance from Jane, he noticed the man's walk was that of a drunken man. Jane took this opportunity and hastily climbed under that the picnic table, wincing when his head hit the top. Jane settled in and peered out through the gap above the bench. A flash light turned on, and Jane squinted as the man unconsciously shown it right at him but didn't see Jane's face. He heard the man burp as the light fell lazily to the ground, highlighting his green Crocs on his feet. Jane smiled. When the man was in earshot, Jane began his plan.

"Why." He let out, just loud enough to hear. The man's swaggering step stopped, dust dancing about in the beam of light from his heavy, dragging steps. "Why did you do it…?" He tried to make his voice as childish, yet ghostlike as he could, and when he heard himself he was glad the man was drunk as to not notice how ridiculous he really sounded.

"Who said that?" The man lazily flicked the light around the site. Jane picked up a good sized rock and tossed it into a bush nearby, making the man jump at the sound. "I said who said that?"

"Daddy." He let out quickly, and quieter. The man's flashlight dropped to the ground, blinding Jane. He looked away from the light, trying to crawl away from the glow. "You killed me. Why. Why…" His attempts as being a ghost were pathetic, yet the man believed him still.

"Todd? Todd?" He called out.

"Why…" Jane hissed out.

"Oh my god, oh my god…Todd…oh my lord. Well I had to Todd, I had to kill you." The man's blubbering voice was shaking.

"Why…"

"Todd you know why I had to kill ya…" The man went silent. Then Jane heard his heavy breathing quicken, and his tone change. "Damn't Todd!" He bellowed. "You fat bastard! You ate all my candy! All my candy! You always eat all my candy! You damn fat…" he trailed off, then fell back on the picnic table, his stinking Crocs inches from Jane's hands. Though the man had finished his confession, and that was all Jane needed. He slipped his hand into his pocket, stopped the recording on his phone, and slowly began to crawl out from behind the table. He looked the man over from behind. He bore hugely broad shoulders that shuddered with each sob like a stirring cave bear. In fact, this man appeared more bear like than human.

The man violently pounded on the table, sending pieces of it into the air. Jane bit his lip as he saw this man was more to fear than a bear, for he didn't just attack when his cubs were around, he attacked and killed his cubs. And now, Jane was no better off than one of them.

Jane tensed as he realized he had just gotten himself cornered and alone with an incredibly tall, brutal and obese, maniac.

He hadn't planned what to do from here, so he slowly began to back up, the man seeming to grow larger and larger. He winced when his toe met a pile of broken glass. The man's sobbing seized. As the shards snapped, so did the man. He jerked his tear covered bearded face around, enraged. Whether he had realized Jane was the one tricking him, or he believed he was about to attack a ghost, didn't matter. He yelped as the man hurled himself across the table, landing with a boom that burned in Jane's skull.


	10. Chapter 10

"Lisbon!" Jane called out, but once again it was too late. In several large steps the man had gained on him, and brutally tackled him into the rocky red dirt. Jane landed hard, his jaw hitting the solid ground, sending a flame of pain through his teeth. He began to yelp and call out the rest of his coworkers' names but his only response was a deep growl from the psycho.

"I killed you once Todd and I'll do it again!" Jane felt the massive murdering man's breath against his skin, beer tinged spit coating the back of his neck.

"I'm not Todd! My name is Patrick! I promise I didn't eat any of your candy!" The man was deaf to him as he flipped Jane over and stared down at him with eyes that screamed insanity. Jane had now been traumatized for the second time in one day.

"You lying fat kid!" The man screamed as he wrapped his hands around Jane's neck and began to squeeze. There was nothing Jane could do to get the bear of a man off of him. He swatted at the bulging enraged face, feeling his life flee from his panicking body, but he could do nothing. For the second time he believed his death was near. However once again he was wrong. The squeezing around his neck loosened when a foot emerged from the shadowy air, and kicked hard at the man's face. Jane's vision was blurred as he panted for breath and began slapping his attacker's fat face. His savior kicked once again, rolling the maniac away from him. Jane scurried away, his mind and body still swaying as he glanced up to his rescuer.

The sight was all too familiar, for once again his vision was blurred and a familiar face filled his misty gaze. It was the cool woman with the yellow bug, and the red scarf and big hat, the one who had saved him earlier. She was back. Or so he thought. For as he studied her face, Jane felt the world suddenly become muffled, before everything went black. But the dark coma like sleep lasted only several minutes.

Distant voices filled his head as his vision was still black. He heard them say his name but he figured he was dreaming till they persisted, annoying him. The clearer the voices became and the more annoyed he got, he began to realize he was not dreaming. He opened his eyes to see blurred distorted faces surrounding him. The voices were still muffled as were the people till he slowly sat up and he felt a hand touch his shoulder. It was Grace's touch and soon her face and voice became lucid.

"Lisbon, he's awake!" Grace called. "Take it easy." Her soft voice comforted him, though it also confused him for the mysterious woman was nowhere in sight. Jane eased to his feet with the help up Grace, and he looked about as the fog entirely left his gaze. A few yards away Rigsby and Cho had the bear-man pinned to the ground and were struggling to handcuff him. Behind them was Lisbon who was heading in their direction.

Grace watched Jane worriedly as his eyes lazily lolled about him. "Jane, can you hear me? Are you hurt?"

"That woman…" He mumbled, his throat aching slightly as he spoke. "Did you see a woman?" He looked eagerly to her as he felt his strength returning. Grace appeared confused and dropped the matter as Lisbon reached them.

"We came over as soon as we heard you." When it was clear Grace was clueless of the woman's identity, he gave up trying to figure out the woman and slowly took in a long breath, tenderly touching his neck. It had already begun to bruise from the choking and Jane lethargically waved to Grace when she continued braced him for behind.

"I'm good." Grace slowly stepped away and Lisbon adjusted her grip on her gun.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Jane realized, to them, he had simply disappeared and got himself nearly killed by a random psychotic camper.

"Ah," he groaned and began gesticulating towards the large man. "He's the one, he killed his son," he said through slow breaths. "Say all your funny business, he admitted to the murder." Lisbon's mouth went agape before she turned to Cho who now was sitting on the man.

"You hear that, Cho?"

"yes." He grumbled, and readjusted his grip on the man. "youre under arrest for the murder of your own son."

"Todd was his name," Jane called out. Lisbon let out a long sigh and gave him a perplexed look, looking over his bruises.

"I will never understand how you know all this stuff." Jane was too exhausted to answer so he stepped back and rested against the table. "Just stay put, I'm gonna call Walker and if you keep looking like that, an ambulance too." Lisbon strayed off into the dark. "Van Pelt, you call the local cops."

"Yes boss, already on it." Grace and Lisbon's phones were the only light in the campsite that was filled with looming shadows belonging to trees who groaned as a warm wind danced by.

Jane sat still for several minutes while his breath made its way back into his tired lungs and the wind tickled pleasantly against his sweaty face. Not only now did his scratches on his hands and back burn, but his throat, arms, and lungs ached as well. Though Jane hardly noticed, for he had solved yet another crime, and gave the chubby boy his rightful justice. Each case gave him more excitement, and desire to go onto the next, knowing somewhere, sometime, he would catch his murderous man and give his family the justice they deserved.

By the time the local cops arrived, awakening the entire campground with their blaring sirens and flashing lights, Rigsby and Cho's arms could hardly hold the man down any longer. The police hurried through the site with their guns out, Lisbon pointing to where the murderer was. To the agents' relief, they took the fighting and shouting man into custody. Jane sat silent, eying the beastly man. He then watched Lisbon discuss custody of the killer with the local sheriff and the rest of the cops who lined the site with caution tape that glowed in the darkness. When Rigsby and Cho were released from the scene they joined Jane at the picnic table.

"When we first heard you, I thought you were a bear."

"That man is at least half bear, or batman or butcher. He smelled bad, really bad." Rigsby's brow rose as he looked to the large man who was being shoved into a police car.

"I'm not trying to sound like Lisbon here, but why the hell _did_ you do that?"

"Eh, it needed to be done."

"Well yeah, but-" Rigsby was cut off by Lisbon who was heading their way with Grace. She raised her brow at him and rested her hands on her hips.

"You're lucky you're alive, Jane." She tried to smile but her confusion and frustration pushed it aside. "But what the hell is wrong with you? Taking on a killer, alone?"

"I didn't, that's where you all stepped in." Grace sighed.

"I think what we all mean to say is where glad you're alright." Jane half smiled to her, "You did a brave thing." Rigsby and Cho nodded to him. But Lisbon took a moment to look the battered man over, his torn and dirtied vest limply hugged his bruised up body, and his face was sprinkled with cuts and purpling bruises. She shook her head, appearing for the first time the entire day, genuinely concerned without anger haunting her expression.

"What I keep on wondering, is why you told me you knew he was miles away from here, when obviously you knew he wasn't. Why not just tell me the truth?"

"If I told you, there was a chance, a chance, that this was his campsite and that he would come back to it, you wouldn't have stayed." Lisbon looked sucked in her chin, looking unsure.

"What, yes I would have."

"Don't deny it. I knew he would come back, but since you wouldn't ever believe, eh I had to spin some yarn." Lisbon licked her lip.

"You never really wanted to go camping did you?"

"Well we all had fun didn't we?"

Rigsby smirked and nodded, "you are a tricky man Patrick Jane."

The five of them knew none could return to sleeping while a crime scene was going on next door and a large crowd of campers observing and chattering about it on their doorstep, so the team cleaned up their tents, and loaded them into the vans. The sky was still dark, and the sliver of a moon high as they piled into the dim lit cars. Cho was more awake then Rigsby and Grace, so he hopped into the driver's seat while in the back, the pair of them passed out. In the other van, Jane sat nearly falling asleep himself, waiting for Lisbon to return from checking up on the scene. Jane slowly let his head fall against the cold glass, and stared ahead appearing lifeless.

When Lisbon returned, opening the van's door and climbing in, Jane let out a long groan. For the little movements were exaggerated by his weak and drowsy state.

"You're a dinosaur."

"That's why I get for saving your life?"

"I've saved your butt hundreds of times and you just keep on trying to kill me." His voice was muffled and almost not understandable. Lisbon looked to him, forgiving him when she saw that for once in his life; Jane appeared to be falling asleep, but it took several near deaths experiences to do it. She debated whether or not to keep him awake on purpose, but in the end let him sleep, putting an end to their battle for now as the two vans slowly pulled away from the campground that had brought them so many surprises.

Both vans were silent as they drove, the night giving them a sense of peace as they cruised down the sparsely populated freeways. In Cho's van, Rigsby's face was leaning on Grace's shoulder, drooling, but luckily she was unaware. Even Jane managed to sleep the majority of the way, and a very deep sleep it was, for images of the mysterious woman's face populated his dreams.

As Agent Cho drove, the road ahead of him was nearly empty. The summer moonlight bouncing off the hood of the van, and the constant hum of the vehicle calmed him as the memories of the day drifted in and out from his mind. At the images of the way the day began, Rigsby making them late in the morning, then dancing like a fool when they got to the lake, the wild boat ride, and the way the case was solved, he began to smile, and through that smile, he said in his monotone way, "that was weird. i liked it."

Author's Note: Since this is the final chapter of this adventure, I would love to hear what you thought of it for I am considering writing another. Please do share what you liked and thank you very much for reading and reviewing! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I as did writing it.


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